The invention relates to a comb profile for comb supports of escalators and moving walkways.
It is the general state of the art that the individual comb segments of comb supports of escalators and moving walkways can be made of very different materials, such as, e.g., aluminum, plastics or the like, and are connected in the region of one of their ends to the comb support, in particular by screwing. The portion remaining outside the comb support penetrates into the steps and pallets of the escalator and moving walkways on the comb side, the segments being flush joined in the area of their front faces facing each other.
Regarding the fact, that, inter alia, also caddies, carts, trolleys or the like are moved respectively transported on moving walkways and frequently also on escalators, it is necessary to design the comb profiles such that a flat angle of inclination is formed. This causes a material reduction, which in turn causes problems if bigger loads act on the single segments of the comb profile. The flush joined combs can be individually deformed, as soon as point loads act thereon. Excessive, not admissible deflections of the combs as well as material breaks or materials fatigues cannot be excluded herein, so that a relatively fast replacement of single segments is required, which in turn causes an undesired standstill of the escalator or the moving walkway.
From U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,257 a comb support for passenger transport installations is known, which is composed of several juxtaposed segments. A round rod releasably connects the segments provided with smooth front faces as well as through bores to each other. By means of this measure a connection of all segments can be realised, but the replacement of individual, eventually damaged segments is not possible without disconnecting them.
Due to process tolerances it can also happen, that single ones of the segments are provided projecting respectively standing back in connection, which causes a negative optical impression.
It is the object of the invention to improve the comb profile for comb supports of escalators and moving walkways, such that desirable flat angles of inclination of the segments can be fulfilled and damage to the individual segments can be largely avoided. Furthermore, it shall also be possible to replace single segments in case of damages without requiring the dismounting of the whole compound.
This object is solved with a profile for comb supports of escalators and moving walkways comprising a plurality of segments for being connected to a comb support, the segments having respective front faces juxtaposed to one another, wherein the front face of a first segment of said plurality of segments comprises a nose shaped projection and the front face of a second segment of said plurality of segments comprises a groove for receiving said projection of the first segment, forming a tongue and groove arrangement for releasably interlinking the segments outside of the comb support. Advantageous embodiments and useful modifications of the will become apparent from the disclosure herein.
Due to this second junction point a relatively rigid overall construction of the comb profile consisting of several individual segments is formed. By means of this measure it is possible to realize the material reduction with simultaneous formation of flatwise-inclined segments. Point loads no longer act directly on single segments, but act indirectly on the whole comb profile, whereby it is also possible to largely avoid damages of the individual segments. The deflection of single combs is substantially reduced, which also has a positive effect on the material fatigue.
There are different technical designs for establishing the releasable connection in the comb side area of the individual segments, wherein a tongue and groove joint shall be preferably used. Alternatives such as pin connections or the like are also imaginable.
The preferred tongue and groove joint is designed such that single segments can be extracted after disconnecting them from the comb support, so that eventually damaged segments can also be replaced without requiring the at least partial dismounting of the steps or pallets of the escalator respectively the moving walkway.